Fluid-pressure brake apparatus



(No Model.) J. LENG'KE. 4 She t's -Sheet 1.

FLUIDPRESSURE,BRAKEABPARATUS. No. 517,953. Patented Apr. 10, 1894.

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(No Model.)

- J. K. LENGKE.

FLUID PRESSURE BRAKE APPA ATUS.

Patented Apr. 10, 1894.

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4 Sheets$heet 3.1

- 'F-LUID PRE'SSURE BRAKE APPARATUS. v N0. 51T7,9.53. Patented Apr. 10, 1894 J R LENGKE FLUID PRESSURE BRAKE APPARATUS.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

No. 517,953. Patented Apr. 10, 1894.

' -E STATES;

PATE T OFFICE.

,JOHN K. LENOKE, or 1. PAUL, MINNESOTA,

FLUID-PRESSURE BIZRAFKE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 517,953, dated April 10, 1894.

Application filed October Z, 1891. Serial No- (Ill) m -l I To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN K. LENOKE, aciti zen of the United States, residing at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsay and'State of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Device as an Automatic Controller for Pressure-Retaining-Valve Mechanism on Railway- .valves or valve mechanism, the purpose of which is to give better control of a train in running down long. and steep grades. On such 'grades,it is necessary, ofttimes, to reset the brakes, either for giving dfferent pressures, as may be required at different points, or for recharging the train-pipe and auxiliary reservoirs. Without retaining valve mechanism, it was impossible to recharge the train-pipe and auxiliary reservoirs, or reset the brakes, without first givinga full release to the brakes. The exhaust from the brakemotor, as is well known, is through the triple valve, and it was necessary for this valve to assume its exhaust position, in respect to the brake motor before the recharge or resetting could be effected. Without retainers, the full release of the brakes, incidental to this action of the triple valve, would sometimes, when the train was running down grades, permit the train to gather so much momentum that it would'run away before the recharging could be completed and the brakes be reset. By the addition of the retainers, above referred to, it was made possible to hold a limited pressure on the brake mo tor piston and brakes, while the recharge of the train-pipe and auxiliary reservoirs, and the resetting of the brakes, to full or any desired pressure, was made. For this purpose the brake motor was provided with a twoway exhaust passage, external of a triple valve; in one of which ways, was located a stop-cock or shut-off valve, and in the other of which ways, was locateda retaining valve proper, of such weight or under such tension, as to close when the pressure on the motor side of the same fell below a predetermined limit, say, for-example, of fifteen pounds per squareincn With this mechanism, under ordinary conditions, as when running on level sections of track, the shut-off. valve is open, giving a free outlet to the atmosphere, for the exhaust from thebrake-motor through the triple valve; but when so-desired, the shut-off valve could bethrowninto its closed position, and thereafter,'the exhaust from the brake-motor, after leaving the triple.

valve, would have to pass through the retaining valve proper. This retaining valve proper-would then stop the escape, when ever the predetermined limit, say of fifteen pounds, was reached, thereby holding fifteen pounds pressure on the brake-motor piston, and'a proportionate corresponding pressure on the brakes. This pressure retaining valve mechanism, or so called retainers, have ordinarily, in practice, been operated by hand; although automatic mechanism for the purpose has been proposed.

My invention has for its object to provide an improved and reliable controller, for the class of mechanism above referred to, which may be operated, by variation of-the trainpipe pressure, under the control of the engineer in the cab, through the engineers brake-valve.

My invention in its preferred formis illus trated 'inthe accompanying drawings, in which, like letters referring to like parts throughout the several views Figure 1 is a diagram view, with the retaining mechanism and my improvement, shown in side elevation in fully worked up lines. line X X of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail of Fig. 2,'in left side elevation with someparts broken away. Fig. a is a section, on the line X X of Fig. 2, with the shut-off valve in its open position. Fig. 5 is a similar view, with some parts broken away, showing the shut-offvalve in its closedposition. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the pawl and ratchet mechanism shown in Fig. 2, detached, some parts being broken away. Fig. 7 is a verticalsection, through the controller, on the line .X X of Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a vertical cross section, on the line X X of Fig. 7; andFig. 9 is a detail in front elevation of the shut-off valve casing and ratchet-disk,other partsbein g removed. Figs. 10 andll are detail views in vertical and horizontal section, showing modificationswherein Fig. 2 is a horizontal section, on the.

my controller is applied to a retaining mechanism having a single (reduction) valve. Referring to Fig. 1, A represents the train pipe, B the triple-valve, O the auxiliary respounds; that the brakes are set by a reduc- 'mosphere.

tion of train-pipe pressure, the brake-motor being thrown into communication with the auxiliary reservoir, through the triple-valve, under the equalizing action, on said triple valve, between the auxiliary reservoir and the train-pipe; that the proportions between the auxiliary reservoir and the brake-motor cylinder,are ordinarily such, that, when the train-pipe pressure has been reduced sufficiently for maximum service applications, the pressures in the auxiliary reservoir and brake-motor cylinder, will equalize at fifty pounds. Hence, disregarding emergency application, any further reduction of trainpipe pressure below fifty pounds, will have no additional effect on the brake-motor, but would simply bleed the train-pipe. Between seventy-pounds and fifty pounds, the force with which the brakes will be set, is dependent in service applications, on the amount of reduction in the train-pipe pressure.

In carrying out my improvement, in my preferred way I providea device, which will be thrown into action only after the trainpipe pressure has been reduced below fifty pounds, or the predetermined maximum service application, and hence, it does not in anywise interfere with the ordinaryactions of the brake apparatus in service applications.

Turning now to the attachment of my device, f represents a pipe leading fromthe exhaust opening of the triple-valve to a twoway exhaust passage f f in a suitable case or housing f The branch f, of this twoway exhaust passage, is provided with a rotary shut-01f valve f which is normally in its open position, permitting a free exhaust from the brake motor, through the triplevalveand the passage f, to the external at- The other branch f of this two wayexhaust passage, is fitted with a retaining valve proper f f, constructed, when brought into action, to stop the exhaust,when the predetermined desired limit of pressure is reached on the brake motor side of-the same. 7

As shown, f represents the valve-proper, constructed to operate by its own weight and seated and supported in a suitable cap f,

provided with external escape openings f This valve f f is the ordinary so-called retaining valve proper, now in use. The body of the shut-off valve f is also shown as of the form now in general use. The said two-way exhaust passage f'f one branch of which is fitted with the said retaining valve proper 1" f and the other branch of which, is fitted with a hand-operated shut-0E valve similar to f, all located external to the exhaust opening of the triple-valve, constitute or correspond to the existing pressure retaining valve-mechanism. So long as the shut-011 valve f is in its open position, the exhaust from the brake-motor th rough the triple-valve, will have an unobstructed passage to the open air, but if the shut-0E valve f be closed, the said exhaust from the brake-motor, afterleaving the triple-valve will have to pass through the retaining valve proper f f, which will close and shut off theexhaust, when the pressure on the brake-motor is reduced, say to fifteen pounds.

I construct the case or housing f of larger size, than would have been necessary for the old retaining valve mechanism, and bore the same out to form a cylinder g,and other openings which will be specified later on.

The cylinder g is fitted witlra valve seated piston g, whichis subject to train-pip press. ure on one side, and a yielding back pressure of a predetermined amount on the other. The cylinder g, is as. shown, connected with the train-pipe through an elbow union 9, connecting with the T- headed union A, uniting the train pipe and the triple-valve case. It is obvious, with this construction, that the piston g, in the cyliudeng, will be subject to train-pipe pressure on oneside. The predetermined yielding backpressure on the piston 9', may be obtained in various ways, as by a weightya closed chamber filled with air to the predetermined desired pressure, or by a suitable resistance spring. I have shown for the purpose, a resistance spring g ,seated in a cavity g of the housing f beyond the seatof the piston g, and re actingagainst the piston and the train-pipe pressure. The resistance or back pressure from the spring 9 is less than train-pipe pressure at the reduction required to set the brakes at maximum brake setting power in service applications. If that reduction be fixedat fifty pounds, thou the back pressure on the piston g from thespring .9 or other substitute device, must be less than fifty pounds.

The piston g'is made to operate on the shut 06 valve f through a pawl and ratchet connection,one member of which is reciprocated by the piston,.and the other of which is turned thereby, and made to rotate the valve. Asshown, the valve f is provided with a ratchet-disk 9 formed rigid therewith, the notches g of which are engageable by a spring-held pawl 9 carriedby a crank disk 9 to which a rocking motion is imparted, when the piston g is moved, through a connecting rod 9 The casing f is bored out, or otherwise formed with a seat g, for the said pawl and ratchet mechanism, just described; which seat is closed by a screw cap As shown, the shut-off valve f is provided with a stem 9 extending outward from the ratchet-disk g which is seated with freedom for rotary movement in the cap -The.

stem 9 is provided, adjacent to the ratchetdisk 9 with a fixed collar 9 on which is loosely mounted the pawl carrying crank disk 9 The stem 9 also carries a loose collar which is held against the fixed collar'g by aspring g encircling the stem 9 and reacting against the' cap 9 The shut-off valve f and its seat are of conical form; and, under the strain from said springg the said valvef is held under such friction in its seat, that it can only be turned by a positive force, applied through the pawl g or otherwise. ln other words, the valve f will stay wherever it is set, until moved by the pawl and ratchet mechanism. The valve f is extended outward, as shown, through the housingf and provided with a pointer g", the position of which, in respect to an indicator surface 9 will serve to show whether the valve f is in its open or its closed position. The valve f is shown, as provided with a single passage only, and the ratchet disk g is provided with four teeth or notches 9 Hence, every time that one of the said notches is engaged by the pawl 9 on thecrank disk and the piston g is given a stroke against the spring 9 the said valve f will be given a quarter turn. These movements from the pawl will turn the valve f in a constant direction, alternately throwing the same into its closed and its open position.

Turning now to the operation, the engineer, for ordinary service applications, would operatehisbrake-valve exactly as in existing systems. But suppose a train'be starting down hill, and he desires to set the retainers. In that event, he will reduce the train pipe pressure below fifty pounds. The efiect of this will be to set the brakes to maximum pressure, and to permit the spring 9 to move the piston g against-the reduced train pipe pressure, so as to allow the pawl 97 to get its catch in one of the notches g Then, he would again immediately release the brakes, or as soon thereafter as he might find necessary to recharge the train-pipe and auxiliary reservoir. When this occurs, as soon as the train-pipe pressure reaches a point above fifty pounds, the piston g will be given an outst-roke against the spring 9 and the pawl and ratchet mechanism g 9 will throw the shutoff valve f into its closed position. Thereafter, the exhaust from the brake-motor, when the releases are made, will pass through the retaining valve proper f f; and the predetermined pressure, say of fifteen pounds, will be held on the brake motor and a proportionate pressure on the brakes. W'henever, the

train reaches a point on the grade, where the the shut-off valve f will be given anotherquarter turn, throwing the same into its open position. Thereafter, the brake mechanism will be operated, without any regard to the pressure retaining mechanism or the controller for the same, until the said parts might be again required. 7

From the foregoing, it is obvious, that my controller can be .thrown' into action by the engineer, at will, by simply reducing the trainpipe pressure below fifty pounds, and again throwing his brake valve-lever in position for recharging the auxiliary reservoirs or for releasing the brakes; and that likewise, the shutoff valve f may be thrown into its -open position, so as to throw off the retainers, by a repetition of the said actions. The pressure retaining mechanism is, therefore, under as complete control, through the engineers brake-valve, as the other parts of the brakeapparatus employed for the setting or the release of the brakes; and moreover, my controller, as above described, in no-wise interferes with the ordinary applications of the standard brake systems. It is, of course, obvious, that if there were no objections in service, to the retention of full pressure on the brakes, the retaining valve proper f f", and the branch exhaust way f might be dispensed with. For example, suppose the retaining valve proper f was fastened down in its closed position or removed, and the branch-way f wereplugg d, Inthat event, my controller would operate exactly as in the way hereinbefore'described, with the single exception, that fifty pounds, instead of fifteen, would be retained in the brake motor cylinder, and a proportionate pressure he held on the brakes, while the recharge of the train pipe and the auxiliary reservoir was made. In practice, this would be objectionable, on account of the increasing pressure at which the brake-motor cylinder and the auxiliary reservoir, would thereafter equalize, and the consequent excessive power, at which the brakes would be set and held. For example, it might crack cast-iron wheels, on account of the heat generated by the brake-shoes, or loosen the'tires, if steel wheels be employed. It would also stop the train.

A careful analysis of my device will show, that the broad principle involved in the same, is a controller for the retaining valve mech? anism, having a movable part, subject to a variable air pressure on one side,'and to a predetermined yielding back pressure on the other; ,I much prefer to obtainthis variable air pressure, on one side of the said movable part of the controller, directly from the train pipe. It might, however, be indirectly obtained from the train-pipe through the auxiliary reservoir, or even from some other source of variable pressure. In this statement, air is taken as representative, of course, of any fluid pressure. All the other ways than the direct train-pipe pressure, are however, open to serious objections.

It has already been several times stated, that my device does not in anywise interfere with the ordinary manipulation of the brake apparatus in service applications. At this point, it may be noted, and will be readily understood, that my device does not interfere with the emergency action. well-known, in order to set the emergency, the reduction of pressure in the train-pipe must be quick, while for service applications, the reductions are gradual. Hence, the reduction of the train-pipe below fifty pounds, as required to throw my device into action, being gradual, as before stated, would not set the emergency; but thesudden reduction of the train'pipe pressure, as required, to set the emergency, would,.of course, throw my device into action. By subsequent manipulation, however, the shut-off valve f can be thrown into its open or normal position. In order to enable the engineer to know the exact positions of the shut-off valves f at any given time, one of my devices, together with a dummy shut-0E valve f would be located in the engineers cab. hen the train is made up, the inspectors will have to see to it, that all the shut-off valves f on the different cars occupy a common position with the shut-off valve in the engineers cab. This, the inspectors could readily do, by turning the shut-off valves f backward, by hand, through the use of the pointers g".

It will be understood, that my invention, in its broad principles, is independent of any particular form of pressure retaining valve mechanism. For example, instead of a twoway exhaust with a shut-off and a reduction valve, the brake motor might have a single way exhaust passage fitted with a single valve to which my controller would be applied.

The application of my controller directly to the retaining valve proper is shown in Figs. 10 and 11, wherein the exhaust from the brakemotor reaches the atmosphere through pi pe f, single exhaust way it, and the retaining valve proper f f. The stem of the ratchet-wheel g carries, instead of a valve, a cam-wheel h, working in an expanded portion of the exhaust way It, provided with a cap ]L2. The cam-wheel h operates on the downwardly extended stem 71 of the valve f and is so constructed as to raise and open the valve, on alternate quarter turns. The valve is shown in its closed position. From this statement, theaction will be readily understood.

The details of the construction of my controller and its connections to the pressure re- As is and claims, I mean any kind of valve mechanism whatever for controlling the exhaust from the brake-motor, regardless of whether it has one or two or more valves.

The valve f j", which I have herein called a retaining valve proper is sometimes called the retaining valve proper; but with the standard retaining mechanism now in use, the cooperation of what I have called the shut-off valve is necessary to retain any pressure on the brake motor.

By using the above terms, as defined, the proper distinctions can be readily maintained and all confusion be avoided.

While my apparatus herein shown and described, is capable of being applied to operate by variation of train pipe pressure, at any range, either above or below any given pressure; yet the fact, that I have applied it to operate by variations of train-pipe pressure below the point of reduction required for the maximum brake setting action,in service applications, constitutes an important improvement in the method of controlling the exhaust, from the brake motors. The retaining mechanism is thereby madealways available and without interference with the ordinary actions of the brake apparatus.

The term predetermined back pressure, as used throughout the specification and the claims, is a relative term. In other words the predetermined back pressure as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, is predetermined in reference to a constant quantity; but this back pressure might, of course, be predetermined with reference to a variable quantity and hence, be variable itself.

I make herein no claim to the novel method involved in the operation of my retaining valve mechanism and controller, as the same is claimed in a companion application filed of date November 27, 1893, under the Serial No. 492,063, entitled,-- method of controlling retainers for air brake motors, which application was executed by me, of date October 18, 1893.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

1. The combination withpressure retaining valve mechanism, for fluid pressure brake motors, of a pawl and ratchet device operative to throw said .valve mechanism alternately into its open and closed positions.

2. The combination with a train-pipe, brakemotor, and retaining-valve mechanism for said motor, of a pawl and ratchet device operative by variation of train-pipe pressure to control said valve mechanism, substantially as described.

3. In a fluid pressure brake system, the combination with a train-pipe and a brake-motor having a two-way exhaust passage external to the triple-valve, of a retaining valve proper in one of said Ways, and a shutoff valve in the other of said ways, normally open, and a controller operated by train pipe pressure and applied to said shut-off valve, for closing the same, at will, to force the exhaustfrom the motor to pass through said retaining valve, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a fluid pressure brake system, the combinatlon with a train-pipe and a brake-motor, havlng a. two-way exhaust passage external to the triple valve, of a retaining valve proper in one of said ways, and ashut-off valve in the other, and a controller for said shut-0E valve, having a movable part subject to train,- plpe pressure on one side, and to a pre-determined yielding back pressure on the other,

whereby, when the train-pipe pressure isreduced below said yielding back pressure, the sa1d controller may be thrown into action, substantially as described. Y

5. In a fluid pressure brake system, the comblnatlon with a brakemotor and pressure retaimng valve mechanism for the same, of a controller, for said valve mechanism, comprising a movable part subject to a predetermined yielding back pressure on one side, and to a variable fluid pressure onthe other, and a pawl and ratchet mechanism for applylng the motion of said movable part to said Valve mechanism, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a fluid pressure brake system, the combination with a train-pipe and a brake-m0tor, of a shut-off valve located in the exhaust passage from said motor external to the triple valve, and a controller for said shut-off valve, comprising a reciprocating part subject to a variable fluid pressure. on one side and to a pro-determined yielding back pressure on the other,and a pawl and ratchet connection from said reciprocating part tosaid shut-off valve, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a fluid pressure brake system, the combination with a brake motor and train-pipe, of pressure retaining valve mechanism for said motor, and a controller, for said valve mechanism, comprising a cylinder communieating with the train-pipe, avalve seated piston in said cylinder, subject to train-pipe pressure on one side, and to a predetermined yielding back pressure on the other, and a pawl and ratchet connection from saidpiston to said retaining valve mechanism, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In a fluid pressure brake system, the combination with a train-pipe, and a brake-motor, of a rotary shut-off valve in the exhaust passage from said motor external to the triplevalve, adapted for a step by step movement to alternately open and close the same a reciprocating body subject to train-pipe pressure on one side, andto a predetermined yielding back pressureon the other, and operating on successive reeiproeations (complete return out and instrokes) to alternately open and close said shut off valve, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. I

9. In a fluid pressure brake system, the combination with a brake-motor and train-pipe,

of a rotary shut-0E valve in the exhaust passage from said motor, frictionally held to its.

seat, a reciprocating body subject to traincombination with the brake motor and the train-pipe, of the spring seated rotary shut-off valve in the exhaust passage of said motor,

and the controller for said valve, comprising the cylinder g, in communicationwith thetrain-pipe, the valve-seated piston g, subject to train-pipe pressure on one side, and to the resistance spring g ,on the other, the connecting rod 9 and the pawl and ratchet mechanism, one member of which is operated by said connecting rod, and the other of which operates said shut-off valve, substantially as described.

11. A controller for the pressure retaining valve mechanism of fluid pressure brakes, comprising a cylinder adapted for conneet1on with the train-pipe, a piston in said cylinder, subject to train-pipe pressure on one side, and to a predetermined yielding back-pressure, on the other, and pawl and ratchet mechanism operated by said piston and applicable to said retaining valve mechanism, substan tially as and for the purpose set forth.

12. The device for application to fluid pressure brake systems, comprising a case or housing f having a two-way exhaust passage f f, for connection with the external ex haust pipe from the brake motor, and provided with a cylinder bore 9, adapted for connection with the train-pipe, a rotary shut ofi valve f in one of said exhaust ways,aretaining valve proper f, in the other of said exhaust ways,'a valve seated piston g in said cylinder g, subject to train-pipe pressure on one side, and to a resistance spring g on the other, a connecting-rod 9 and a pawl and ratchet mechanism, as g 9 one member of which is operated by said piston, and the other member of which operates the said valve f substantially as and for the purpose set forth. I

' JOHN K. LENCKE. Witnesses:

. L. G. BLODGETT, G. L. WARREN.

IIO 

